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England batted with the aggression they had promised as they began their bid for a first T20 World Cup title since 2009 with a rampant seven-wicket win over 2016 champions West Indies.
Sophie Ecclestone’s 3-23 helped England limit West Indies to 135-7 in Paarl, while Sophia Dunkley (34 off 18) got the run chase off to a rapid start and then watched on as skipper Heather Knight (32no off 22) and deputy Nat Sciver-Brunt (40no off 30) took the team to their target with 33 balls to spare.
Knight had said in her pre-match press conference, and again at the toss, that England would continue the attacking mindset they have adopted since Jon Lewis became head coach in November and that proved the case as they scored at a rate in excess of 9.5 runs an over and hitting 22 boundaries.
Ecclestone picked up the key wicket of West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews, lbw for 42 from 32 balls, after the batter had propelled her side to 69-1 from 10 overs and the England spinner went on to pin Afy Fletcher (10) and Zaida James (2) lbw in the 19th over as the Caribbean side faded in the final half of their innings.
A target of 136 did not challenge an emboldened England batting unit, one which had thumped 246 in a warm-up fixture against South Africa earlier this week, with Knight sealing an emphatic victory by striking Chinelle Henry for six over long-off.
Dunkley followed warm-up half-centuries against the Proteas and New Zealand with another brisk knock, taking the third over, bowled by Matthews, for 17 with a sublime straight six and two fours before she fell to an excellent return catch from Henry (2-22).
England had reeled off eight consecutive wins over West Indies on a tour of the Caribbean in December, sweeping a three-match one-day international series and then a five-match T20 international and series, and their dominance of Matthews’ team continued.
West Indies were bolstered by the return of fit-again opener Stafanie Taylor but she made a tortuous three from 15 balls, taking 10 deliveries to get off the mark and overturning an lbw dismissal against Lauren Bell before being pinned in front by Sarah Glenn (1-20).
Matthews experienced no such troubles, with back-to-back boundaries off Bell in the third over and three fours off Katherine-Sciver Brunt in the sixth powering her side to 47-0 after the powerplay before Taylor’s painful innings was ended an over later.
England were at times loose with the ball, shipping 18 extras, but sharp in the field on occasion with Alice Capsey and Knight securing run outs – and they were then forceful with the bat.
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England captain Heather Knight ran out Chinelle Henry with a direct hit from cover at Boland Park
After Dunkley, Danni Wyatt (11 off nine) and Capsey (11 off 9) departed, Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt kept the runs flowing with an unbroken stand of 67 from 44 balls as England laid down a marker to their World Cup rivals.
Australia are the overwhelming favourites to win this tournament and claim a third title in a row and sixth overall but England, having embraced the Bazball mentality that has reinvigorated the men’s Test team and with a world-class bowler in Ecclestone, are real contenders.
What’s next?
Monday 13th February 12:30pm
Wednesday 15th February 12:30pm
England return to action against Ireland in Paarl on Monday (1pm start) and will not be taking their opponents lightly after they shocked tournament favourites Australia in a warm-up match. West Indies, meanwhile, play India on Wednesday.
India begin their campaign on Sunday against Pakistan (1pm) before Sri Lanka, who stunned hosts South Africa on Friday night, look to make it two wins from two when they meet Bangladesh (5pm).
Sunday 12th February 12:30pm
Sunday 12th February 4:30pm
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